A Life Constructed : Reflections on Breaking Barriers and Building Opportunities

Born in Jefferson, Texas, and raised on the south side of Chicago in a poor, black, working-class neighbourhood, Delon Hampton realised early on that any success he would achieve in life, he had to create on his own. Having earned a place at college, he decided to focus on civil engineering. After completing his graduate and PhD studies at Purdue University, Hampton entered a career that was not always welcoming to an African American-first as an academic and then as president of the geotechnical engineering firm of Gnaedinger, Baker, Hampton & Associates. In 1973 he founded Delon Hampton & Associates Chartered (DHA), headquartered in Washington, DC, to provide civil, structural, and environmental engineering and construction management services. Over the last forty years, DHA has risen to become one of America's premier civil engineering practices, particularly known for its award-winning work on major infrastructure projects such as Baltimore's Fort McHenry Tunnel, Washington's Dulles and Ronald Reagan National airports, Los Angeles International Airport, and the Atlanta, Chicago, and Los Angeles metro systems. Through his personal example and his leadership of professional organisations such as the American Society of Civil Engineers, Hampton has campaigned for equal opportunity. He has been outspoken in his belief that the leadership of engineering and construction firms and professional organisations need to better embrace diversity, in deeds as well as words. In his philanthropy, he has supported institutions that have demonstrated their commitment to a level playing field, and he has mentored and encouraged minority businesspeople. This book shares a rich vision for a more equitable workplace and necessary change in the disciplines of engineering. It is also an inspiring story of how through hard work, determination, and strong relationships, a young boy from the wrong side of the tracks could still achieve the American dream.